Choosing employee assessments can be complicated these days. The competition is immense with all the options available in the market today. However, there are a few tips to follow that will help your organization decide on the most appropriate assessment.

1. Know why you looking at assessments.

Having a specific focus or issue will help you choose the right assessment for your organization. Many companies choose assessments without really doing their due diligence before selecting. Then they wonder why they did not work. Valid and reliable assessments are designed for specific purposes and do work when they are properly used.

2. Ask to see what kind of information the assessment provides.

Make sure the assessment you select will give you the information you are seeking in regard to your focus area. Also, the information you receive from the assessment should be easy to understand. There are excellent assessments in the market that do not require a rocket scientist to interpret. Ask to see sample reports and/or to demo an assessment.

3. Check to ensure the assessment be used for the specific purpose you desire.

It is imperative that assessments are used in applications for which they were designed. If an assessment was not designed to be a pre-employment assessment, then it should not be used in the hiring process. And the same goes that pre-employment assessments designed for JUST that purpose should not be used with current employees.

4. Ensure the assessment has been validated in the specific application for which it was designed.

Check to ensure that the assessment has been validated for the application in which you intend to use the assessment. Also, ask when the assessment was last validated. Industry leading assessment companies regularly review and validate their assessments. Be careful of assessments that have not been validated in recent years.

5. Ask about the reliability of the assessment and a technical manual.

There should be reliability data available on the assessment you are reviewing. You should also be able to obtain a copy of the technical manual. If this information is not available or they try to charge you for the technical manual, find another assessment.

6. Find out how results will be delivered.

Choose an assessment that allows for flexibility and convenience in administering. Also, find an assessment that offers immediate delivery of results versus you having to call someone to send and interpret the results. Once again, here is an opportunity to ask to demo the assessment.

7. Ask about the assessment in regard to adhering to Department of Labor Standards.

Be sure to ask the question. The DOL supports the use of valid and reliable assessments used in their appropriate applications. Industry leading assessment companies will most likely tell you their assessments meet the standards before you have to ask.

These are just a few tips to follow when choosing assessments. Following these simple tips will put you and your organization in the best possible situation to choose the right assessment.